Image 6-16
Cat's Eye Nebula

This detailed view from NASA's Hubble Space Telescope shows the Cat's Eye Nebula, also known as NGC 6543. It was one of the first planetary nebulae to be discovered, and is one of the most complex such nebulae seen in space. This image has been processed to reveal the concentric rings surrounding the inner core. A planetary nebula forms when Sun-like stars gently eject their outer gaseous layers that form bright nebulae with a wide variety of amazing. THis nebula is estimated to be 1,000 years old. It is located about 3,000 light-years away in the northern constellation Draco.